Bulgarian gov't approves deployment of NATO Force Integration Unit

The Bulgarian government on Wednesday approved the deployment of a NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) on the country's territory within the NATO Security Investment Program, officials said.

The unit will be responsible for battalion-level command and control, training units, and preparing and maintaining facilities and equipment to respond to military-political crises, the country's government information service said in a press release.

"The main task of the NFIU in the country will be to ensure the timely deployment and regrouping of troops and forces of the Alliance in case of an escalation of the situation," the press release clarified.

The staff of the NFIU will be multinational, and serve on a rotating basis, the government said.

"By approving the deployment of the NFIU, Bulgaria will be able to fulfill its military commitments arising from the country's membership in NATO, and increase operational capabilities to ensure national security and integration in the collective defense," the press release said.

During his visit to Sofia in January, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that his organization would establish a command and control element in Bulgaria. This permanent NATO presence in the Balkan country, which joined the alliance in 2004, would be "a very critical and crucial link between national defense, national forces and NATO forces," Stoltenberg said. Endit